BJP and Congress election managers say the primary reason for the trend of urban voter apathy is a noticeable absence of door-to-door campaigning by candidates, leaving many voters feel-ing overlooked and disengaged from the electoral process.
“Many voters expressed dismay over candidates not visiting their houses, apartments, and colonies, which significantly influenced their decision not to vote,” said Suresh Gowda, a social activist and resident of North Bangalore constituency.
Vinay Kumar of Congress, who worked in Bangalore Central, admitted there were few door-to-door visits: “Campaigns by our candidate were largely limited to roadshows and mini public rallies at traffic junctions and major roads.”
Soaring temperatures | The extreme heat also deterred voters from venturing out. “Families, especially those with elderly members, were wary of health risks. News reports on TV about people dyingduring voting or soon after discouraged people from going out to vote,” said a senior poll official.
Long weekend | The day chosen for the first phase of elections also contributed to the low turnout, as holding polls on Fridays created a long weekend, prompting people to plan getaways rather than prioritising their civic duty. Moreover, Bengaluru’s urban lifestyle and significant migrant population added to the voter apathy, with some residents feeling disconnected from local politics.
Perceived inefficiencies or corruption in governance also play a role. Insufficient voter awareness about candidates and the importance of voting also contributed to the low turnout, said officials.
But many say a major reason for the low turnout is the electoralprocess itself. Issues with voter registration and management also played a significant role in diminishing voter turnout. Instances of names missing from rolls and of some family members having to cast their vote in different polling stations despite staying in the same house caused confusion and potential disenfranchisement.
Lack of voter slips | Additionally, failure of poll officials to distribute voter slips, which give voters details of their polling station, added to the chaos.
Errors in voter rolls, including duplication, deletion, and mismatched entries, further compounded confusion among voters. Many individuals were forced to visit multiple polling booths to find their names, resulting in apathy and lower participation.
Source Agencies
